Tadashi Ishimine, Rintaro Kitagawa, and Yasuhito Uchida swung at baseballs at a rate of about one every two seconds for sixteen minutes straight on Sunday. Source: Nikkan Sports 11/3/2014

Seibu Lions

Kentaro Fukukura, Isamu Sato, Kazuki Miyata, Makoto Aiuchi, and Komei Fujisawa will play winter ball in Australia with the Melbourne Aces. Miyata, Makoto, and Fujisawa will leave on the 4th. Fukukura and Sato will leave on the 24th. Miyata and Fujisawa are scheduled to return to Japan on the 25th. Source: official announcement

Hideto Asamura will not attend fall camp because of pain in his left shoulder. He hurt the shoulder while sliding head-first into first during a game agianst Softbank on September 20. He has been examined at a hospital. It could take about two months for a full recovery. Assuming no set backs, he should be fine for spring camp next year. Source: Sports Hochi 11/3/2014 ... Left shoulder surgery is a possibility. Source: Sanspo 11/3/2014

Softbank Hawks

Yuki Yoshimura may have to bow out of the Suzuki All-Star Series because of an injury to his left hand. Yoshimura jammed his left middle and ring fingers while sliding head-first into first base during the Nippon Series. Source: Nikkan Sports 11/3/2014 ... Yoshimura was examined at a hospital on the 1st and was told he would require two weeks for a full recovery. Source: Daily Sports 11/3/2014

Chihiro Kaneko tossed a bullpen session on Sunday in preparation for the Suzuki All-Star Series. He threw thirty-one pitches. It was his first session the end of the regular season. He used an MLB baseball. Source: Nikkan Sports 11/3/2014, Sports Hochi 11/3/2014

Nippon Ham Fighters

Ni-gun general coach Takeshi Ito will become a Ni-gun general/pitching coach in 2015. The Fighters are also planning to add Noriyuki Takahashi (43) as a Ni-gun pitching coach. Source: Nikkan Sports 11/3/2014